To make it through to the late-70's without compromising, Novalis were certainly lucky, yet heralded by an odd Hipgnosis cover, VIELLEICHT BIST DU EIN CLOWN? featured a much less adventurous concoction. Moving to Achim Reichel's Ahorn label, with its motto "Rock in Deutsch", it obviously meant a music with more focus on lyrics was inevitable. FLOSSENENGEL, took on a hint more Pink Floyd influence, as well as introducing rock-ballads, and although a fine album, it was the start of the end. Admittedly Novalis went on about five years too long, though through to the end they still retained their own identity.
Lutz Rahn also recorded a solo synthesizer album in 1978, and has continued in the music industry as a producer. Hartwig Biereichel has worked in production, notably for Metronome in the late-70's.
Heino Schünzel (bass), Jürgen Wenzel (vocals, acoustic guitar), Lutz Rahn (organ, piano, Mellotron, synthesizer), Hartwig Biereichel (drums, percussion)
BANISHED BRIDGE (1/73) LP Brain 1029 (1973)
NOVALIS (2/75) LP Brain 1070 (1975)
SOMMERABEND (2/76) LP Brain 1087 (1976)
KONZERTE (1-4/77) LP Brain 60.065 (1977)
> BRAIN FESTIVAL ESSEN
BRANDUNG (10/77) LP Brain 60.094 (1977)
> BRAIN FESTIVAL ESSEN II
VIELLEICHT BIST DU EIN CLOWN? (9/78) LP Brain 60.164 (1978)
FLOSSENENGEL LP Ahorn 6.23980 (1979)
AUGENBLICKE (1-10/80) LP Ahorn 6.24529 (1980)
etc.
Ralf Nowy
Since the early-60's, Ralf Nowy had been active on the jazz scene, and he'd also been a successful arranger for many top German pop singers. However, inspired by the burgeoning Krautrock scene he established his own supergroup The Ralf Nowy Group, with many top musicians from the Munich scene. LUCIFER'S DREAM was therefore a big melting pot of almost everything from psychedelic pop onto big band jazz, a complex musical suite with a great deal of invention. After a lengthy gap, during which Ralf Nowy had been working with the Berlin Philharmonic, he formed a new incarnation of his band under the guise of Nowy. ESCALATION, and its follow-up NOWY 2, both further developed his wide ranging fusion on a slightly jazzier and accessible level.
Ralf Nowy (flutes, alto sax, oboe), Gary Unwin (bass), Paul Vincent (guitars), Keith Forsey (drums), + Lothar Meid (bass), Sylvester Levay (pianos), Don Anderson (pianos), Andy Marx (guitars), Bernie Prock (percussion), Al Gromer (sitar), Liz van Neienhoff (sitar), Sankha Chatterjee (tablas)
LUCIFER'S DREAM LP Global 26.015-8U (1973)
ESCALATION LP Atlantic ATL 40556 (1974)
NOWY 2 LP Atlantic ATL 50205 (1975)
Octopus
With one foot set firmly in the early-70's Octopus drew on new technology to present a very polished brand of heavy progressive rock. With a female lead vocalist they often come across a bit like Curved Air (but without the classical edge) on both THE BOAT OF THOUGHTS and AN OCEAN OF ROCKS, with good chunky rhythmic structures, plenty of instrumentals and nice synthesized arrangements. Shamefully their third, RUBBER ANGEL, saw them betray their public, presenting a funky styled pop-rock with no redeeming merits. The fourth I've never heard, and don't think I want to!
Pit Hensel (guitars), Werner Littau (keyboards), Jennifer Hensel (vocals), Frank Eule (drums), Claus D. Kniemeyer (bass)
THE BOAT OF THOUGHTS (1976) LP Sky 009 (1977)
AN OCEAN OF ROCKS (12-17/1/78) LP Sky 016 (1978)
RUBBER ANGEL (1979) LP Sky 035 (1980)
HART AM RAND LP Rockport RO 003 (1981)
Odin
Formed as Honest Truth in the late-60's, changing name in 1971 (after moving to Würzburg) when Jeff Beer took over the group. Odin's sole LP featured a basic rock style with some experimentation, hints of Deep Purple (probably due to half the band being English), and also featured a cover of Quatermass' "Gemini". Odin were admittedly rather ordinary. They disbanded in April 1974.
Stuart Fordham (drums, percussion), Ray Brown (bass, vocals), Jeff Beer (keyboards, percussion, vibes, vocals), Rob Terstall (guitar, vocals)
ODIN (1972) LP Vertigo 6360 608 (1972)
Odin
A later progressive fusion and rock band called Odin (from Hamburg), these featured Bernd Wippich (ex-Randy Pie), and were in the vein of Blonker, Karat, late Novalis, etc. Some recordings appeared on a GERMAN ROCK SZENE (Timewind DB 50139) sampler, though no album is known. Info now known - and it's not so great!
Okko
Okko Bekker is nowadays best known for his work as producer and assistant with Asmus Tietchens, and as a much travelled session sitar player and multi-instrumentalist. But, back in 1971 he made this amusing album sounding like a hybrid of Ananda Shankar and those cheesy "synth goes classic" type of albums.
Okko Bekker (sitar, tabla, Moog), Simon Alcott (Moog), Herb Geller (flute), Peter Hesslein (guitar)
SITAR & ELECTRONICS LP BASF 20 21117-7 (1971)
Oktagon
A kind of jazz-rock twist on the Novalis type sound, Oktagon were an unusual hybrid of styles, heading towards Passport or RMO on one hand, moving to complexly lyrical progressions on the other. No historical information is known on Oktagon, except that they changed into Zara-Thustra, and would seem to be from the Munich region, due to the Passport connections.
Berthold Weindorf (sax), Litschie Herdlicka (bass), Hermann Weindorf (keyboards, vocals), Wesley Plass (guitar), Curt Cress (drums), Harry Buckl (percussion)
OKTAGON LP Weryton 1001 (1980)
ORIENTATION LP Jupiter 6.25027 (1982)
Oktober
A polit-rock band in the uniquely German tradition, akin to Floh De Cologne, Lokomotive Kreuzberg, Checkpoint Charlie, et al., but with a larger sound, male and female vocals, and a technical progressive edge often close to Grobschnitt musically. Their most ambitious moment was the double album concept work DIE PARISER KOMMUNE, a musical chronicle of the French revolution, handled in a most imaginative manner, from bizarre theatre through to lengthy symphonic progressive tracks. An obscure yet fascinating band.
Kalla Wefel (bass, guitars, vocals), Peter Robert (organ, synthesizer, string ensemble, spinet), Karl-F. Dörwald (vocals, flute, percussion), Klaus-Peter Harbort (drums, percussion), Hans-Werner Schwarz (guitar, percussion), + Birger Holm (choir), Axel Ratsch (percussion, choir), Philippe Ressing (choir)
UHRSPRUNG LP Trikont US-0024 (1976)
DIE PARISER KOMMUNE (7/77) 2LP Antagon ALP 3211/1-2 (1977)
HIMMEL AUF ERDEN! LP Eigelstein ES 2006 (1979)
The Ones
Amongst the earliest of Berlin bands playing their own material, The Ones are of most importance as the roots of Tangerine Dream. On their sole single, a light piece of psychedelia with the spirit of Syd Barrett and The Electric Prunes, the only certain members known are Mick Auerbach, Edgar Froese, and lead singer Charlie Prince. The identity of the others: Detlef and Wilfried, seem to be lost.
Lady Greengrass / Love Of Mine (1966) 7" Star Club 148 593 (1967)
Open Music
A light Soft Machine cum Eberhard Weber styled fusion, with the accent on mood and ever-present soloing, from one of many bands featuring ex-Brainstorm drummer Joachim Koinzer.
Hans Jürgen von der Burchard (bass, guitars, percussion), Thomas Jehle (pianos, synthesizer, percussion), Helmut Schramm (alto/soprano saxes, flute, percussion), Joachim Koinzer (drums, percussion)
RELAXING WAVES (7/77) LP Pläne G 0039 (1978)
Opus
Not to be confused with the German pop band of the same name, these were a typical mainstream 80's progressive, akin to Novalis circa AUGENBLICKE, song structured with lively keyboards.
A bit of guess-work here! A Berlin band called Opus existed at this time with the line-up of: Horst Henning (guitar, piano, vocals), Norbert Takmann (bass, vocals), Manfred Krabbe (guitar, vocals), Thomas Rönnfeldt (drums). They were reputed to be of this style (i.e. symphonic) and working on an album in 1983. Their next project was titled "Opus 4", so maybe they are the same band?
OPUS 1 LP Peak 8381 (1983)
Orange Peel
Little is known about the origins of Orange Peel, though on their debut single the band featured Michael Winzkowski (also of Nosferatu and Epsilon), and they proved quite seminal, with Heinrich Mohn later following Winzkowski to Epsilon, Peter Bischof moving on to Emergency, and Curt Cress becoming amongst the most prolific of drummers. Orange Peel's LP was amongst the most psychedelic of heavy progressive albums, not least side one's opus "You Can't Change Them All", a veritable masterwork of heavy riffing organ rock, kind of Egg and Pink Floyd jamming Krautrock style, featuring vast guitar excursions, and Peter Bischof's gutsy blues vocals. And then there's "We Still Try To Change" encompassing half of the second side, which trips out beyond the realms of side one's opus, like a crazed Arzachel, close to Os Mundi at their freakiest. The odd track out is an unusual arrangement of "Tobacco Road".
H. Peter Bischof (vocals, percussion), Curt Cress (drums, percussion), H. Leslie Link (guitar), Heinrich Mohn (bass), Ralph Wiltheiss (organ)
I Got No Time / Searching For A Place To Hide 7" Admiral AD 1136 (1969)
ORANGE PEEL LP Bellaphon BLPS 19036 (1970)
Orexis
A highly original experimental ethnic jazz fusion band, who cross genres with amazing ease. The vast part of their work is in the realms of Oregon or Codona, with the focus on European jazz styles, against ethnic musics, with the spice and character of Embryo. Notably they play a much jazzier and moody music than most of their contemporaries, with much in the way of rambling noodling, focusing on Georg Lawall's multi-instrumental talents.
Georg Lawall (guitars, sitar, percussion), Erik Erker (bass), Gert Kilian (congas, bongos, timbales, drums, voice)
OREXIS (2-3/77) LP Intercord INT 160.075 (1977)
INSPIRATION (6/78) LP Intercord INT 160.108 (1978)
REFLECTION LP Spiegelei INT 145.606 (1979)
COMMUNICATION LP Spiegelei INT 145.613 (1980)
CARNAVAL LP Fusion 8020 (1985)
Organisation
Often quoted as being the first Kraftwerk album, Organisation's TONE FLOAT (which only gained LP release in the UK) was a most innovative album: heavily percussive and filled out with spacious organ and flute, it's a melting pot of ideas - the very essence of Krautrock - full of invention, not rock, nor jazz, but certainly cosmic, weird and fascinating music, full of atmosphere and still surprisingly fresh. Hinting at Kraftwerk's "Ruckzack" and the later Ibliss, TONE FLOAT is pure magic.
Os Mundi have been quoted as Berlin's first "rock big band" with a line-up that could swell to a dozen. They grew out of a beat group called the Safebreakers (1962-66) and as Os Mundi since 1969, they became friends of Agitation, sharing a rehearsal room at Paul-Linke-Ufer in Berlin-Kreuzberg. In these early days jam sessions took place with Manuel Göttsching (later of Ash Ra Tempel), Buddy Mandler, Ludolf Kuchenbuch (both from the original Os Mundi) and Michael Günther (from Agitation), among others. This association meant Os Mundi's music changed considerably.
Their debut LATIN MASS was notably inspired by 60's American bands, and especially the Electric Prunes' MASS IN F MINOR, though from a very psychedelic Krautrock angle, with the Latin lyrics against a music more like a hybrid of Amon Düül II, Tangerine Dream's ELECTRONIC MEDITATION and Spooky Tooth. Intense and radical rock music indeed! Almost entirely different in style was 43 MINUTEN, reputedly showing Udo Arndt's liking for Chicago. If so, they twisted the inspiration in such a way, like Thirsty Moon, becoming a distinctly Teutonic rock-fusion, with all manner of invention and surprises.
Os Mundi apparently recorded a third album which remains unreleased. In their later years, other musicians, such as Ute Kannenberg (vocals), Wolfram Jacob (percussion), Bernhard Arndt (piano) and Klaus Henrichs (alto sax, clarinet) passed through the band. By 1974 Os Mundi had changed into the ill-fated and short-lived Tequila Sunrise. Udo Arndt is now a top recording engineer and producer, as is Christoph Busse, and Ute Kannenberg is a jazz presenter on radio.
Probably the most commercially successful of German folk-rock bands, Ougenweide originated circa 1971 in Hamburg. Their name came from the pet name of medieval lyricist Walther von der Vogelweide, whose texts were sometimes used in their music. From the start through to the end, Ougenweide had a stable nucleus of four: Olaf Casalich, Jürgen Isenbart, Frank Wulff and Stefan Wulff. Also there in the early days were one Michael Steinbeck and female singer Brigitte Blunck. Ougenweide were fortunate to have a big helping hand from Achim Reichel, who signed them up to his Zebra Records. Not that Ougenweide didn't deserve success, their blend of German folk musics, the medieval and the modern, despite an obvious nod to Pentangle, was really most original.
After their debut Minne Graw joined as vocalist, her richly intoned German lyric added even more spice to their sound. Ougenweide lasted for several years, issuing numerous album and built a large repertoire of original and traditional pieces, which are best experienced on their live double UNGEZWUNGEN, with its extended versions and improvisations. Every Ougenweide album we've encountered (all up to FRYHEIT) is typical of this creative band, in that they are always pushing on with new ideas, and invention in arrangement, both in song and instrumental.
Olaf Casalich (vocals, drums, percussion), Renee Kollmorgen (vocals, percussion), Frank Wulff (guitar, bass, flutes, mandolin, lute, bouzouki, sitar, choir), Stefan Wulff (basses, organ, harmonium, percussion, guitar, choir), Jürgen Isenbart (percussion, drums, choir), Wolfgang von Henko (guitars, vocals), + Brigitte Blunck (vocals, percussion), Achim Reichel (kettle drum, bass, flute)
OUGENWEIDE LP Zebra 2949 009 (1973)
ALL DEI WEIL ICH MAG LP Polydor 2371 517 (1974)
OHRENSCHMAUS LP Polydor 2371 700 (1976)
EULENSPYGEL LP Polydor 2371 714 (1977)
UNGEZWUNGEN (1977) 2LP Polydor 2634 091 (1977)
FRYHEIT LP Polydor 2437 576 (1978)
OUSFLOG LP Polydor 2413 120 (1979)
JA-MARKT LP Polydor 2372 034 (1980)
NOCH ABER IST APRIL LP Polydor 2372 094 (1981)
Out Of Focus
Existing for ten years or so, Out Of Focus were amongst the finest of German rock fusion bands. Formed in late 1968 in Munich, they rapidly established a stylish and refined blend of rock and jazz, that drew in psychedelic overtones and also a profound socio-political awareness in Moran Neumüller's songs. The early albums exhibited that unique character of Krautrock (akin to Xhol, Thirsty Moon, etc.) with pure invention in a music that transcends boundaries, taking the rock song beyond its normal format with extended instrumentals featuring an abundance of solos and surprises. I would argue that Out Of Focus started excellent, and got even better with each album. Probably the finest of all their albums was the monumental double FOUR LETTER MONDAY AFTERNOON, almost certainly a dedication to Soft Machine's revolutionary double THIRD, it similarly had mainly instrumental and lengthy tracks, although the first LP is a little more down to earth, the unprecedented surprise is the extended suite that encompassed the whole of the second LP! It seems amazing that a band were able to start off with a masterpiece and better it with each subsequent album, yet that's what Out Of Focus did!
It's a shame that Kuckuck withdrew its interest in Krautrock in the mid-70's, as it left Out Of Focus without the chance of a contract elsewhere. There were plans for a release with the April/Schneeball collective in 1975, in fact an album was recorded, yet all that eventually emerged was one track on a festival LP, by which time they had changed into a more conventional jazz-rock band, featuring only one original member: Remigius Drechsler (who subsequently went on to Embryo).
Remigius Drechsler (guitars), Hennes Hering (organ, piano), Moran Neumüller (tenor sax, flute, vocals), Klaus Spöri (drums), Stephan Wischeu (bass)
WAKE UP (10-12/70) LP Kuckuck 2375 006 (1970)
OUT OF FOCUS (7-23/6/71) LP Kuckuck 2375 010 (1971)
FOUR LETTER MONDAY AFTERNOON (17-28/7/72) 2LP Kuckuck 2640 101 (1972)
> UMSONST UND DRAUSSEN PORTA WESTVLOTHICA 1978
Pacific Sound
Much touted obscure early-70's Swiss band, with touches of Procol Harum, obviously inspired by the US West Coast sound too, and thus very dated. Only one member actually seems to be of German Swiss origin, and we know nothing of their history. Contrary to the hype on collector's lists, FORGET YOUR DREAM! is pleasant psychedelia, but it's not at all the remarkable album it's been hyped-up to be.
Chris Meyer (vocals), Mark Treuthardt (guitars, bass), Diego Lecci (drums), Roger Page (keyboards)
FORGET YOUR DREAM! (7/71) LP Splendid ? (1972)
Panacea
A lightweight symphonic edged rock band, comparable to the US "pomp rock" bands of the era, like Kansas or Styx. Very lyrical and with simple song structures, they were at least as good as many so-called "neo-progressives" today.
Ulrich "Urmel" Streber (bass, vocals), Mike Maier (guitars), Tommy Müller (guitars, flute, vocals), Thommy Schuster (drums, percussion, lead vocals), Till Maurer (keyboards)
PANACEA LP Bieber TSB 504 (1977)
Pancake
One of the lesser-known mid to late-70's progressives, Pancake were an odd band in that, not only was each album they released by a virtually different band, but that each was also very different musically! We know virtually nothing of their history, except that their original drummer went on to Anyone's Daughter. Their debut ROXY ELEPHANT, was more typical of the German and British progressive style of the era, with the focus on multiple guitars, dynamics, with rock songs, ballads, hard-rock edged yet also afire with space-rocking instrumental breaks. With only guitarist Walter Negele continuing from hereon, the only notable characteristic carried through to later albums was his delicately lyrical guitar style. Coinciding with the Blubber Lips reissue of ROXY ELEPHANT, the three years gap up to OUT OF THE ASHES moved on to rock-pastures new. In essence, it took a step on from the dreamiest moments of Jane and Novalis, but mostly came across like a Teutonic twist on the early Pulsar sound, which resulted in a superb symphonic progressive. For the third album it was almost all change time again (though this time the drummer stayed too!) and a move to a harder edged progressive rock fronted by female vocals. In many ways, NO ILLUSIONS sounds like a hybrid of Eloy and Dutch legends Earth & Fire no less. Pancake were a fine band throughout, though in essence, they were three different bands!
Günther Konopik (drums, congas, percussion, vocals), Walter Negele (guitars), Tommy Metzger (guitar, vocals), Werner Bauer (bass, triangle, vocals), Hampy Nerlich (vocals)
NO ILLUSIONS (10/79) LP Blubber Lips bl 809 (1979)
Panta Rhei
One of the earliest DDR bands, Panta Rhei were obviously influenced by the Czech scene of bands like Modry Efekt, Flamengo and Jazz Q, and the Anglo-American brass-rock style of Chicago, Blood Sweat & Tears, and such-like. A band that worked basically in two veins, one when fronting female singer Veronika Fischer (more recently a successful soloist) with straighter rock and soul ballads, the other when letting go with some great jazzy psychedelia. Their album is schizophrenic to say the least! The nucleus of the band: Herbert Dreilich, Henning Protzmann and Ulrich Swillms went on to form Karat.
Veronika Fischer (vocals), Herbert Dreilich (guitar, vocals), Henning Protzmann (bass, vocals), Ulrich Swillms (piano, organ), Frank Hille (drums), Bernd Richter (trumpet), Ralph Stolle (trombone), Joachim Schmauch (alto sax, flute), Rudolf Ulbricht (tenor sax, flute)
featured on: HALLO, NR. 1, 5, 1/75
PANTA RHEI LP Amiga ? (DDR, 1973)
Panther
A largely polito-Kraut underground rock band from Ahrensburg, formed in 1972, in Ton Steine Scherben, Tobogan or Lokomotive Kreuzberg vein, with rock 'n' roll edges too - but no folk!
Klaus "Julle" Ahrens (bass, guitar, vocals), Gregor Ahrens (drums), Olaf Lietzen (drums), Klaus Schulz (lead guitar, vocals), Gert Lange (guitar, vocals), + Manne Rürup (synthesizer), Richard Borowski (bongos)
WIR WOLLEN ALLES LP private release 2667 (1974)
Parzival
A curious band from Bremen, Parzival originally consisted of the trio: Walter Quintus, Lothar Siems and Thomas Oliver. Quintus was an accomplished classically trained musician, a sound explorer who had tried his hand at many things, the other two had worked in various pop and fusion bands during the 60's. The music they created between them was an unusual combination of German folk, classical and medieval musics, with a rich instrumentation and rock aesthetics. Particularly exciting on LEGEND were two lengthy mantric excursions co-composed with Conny Plank, close to the style of the Third Ear Band or Radio Noisz Ensemble. The later BA-ROCK (the title is a play on words) combined both the baroque and rock on a more commercial level, and thus being more song based was far less exciting. Several years after their dissolution Walter Quintus reappeared on the scene as a studio engineer with CMP Records, working with the likes of Dark, Joachim Kühn, David Torn, Mark Nauseef, Trilok Gurtu, etc.
Lothar Siems (guitar, vocals), Walter Quintus (violin, bass, organ, piano), Thomas Oliver (drums, vocals, percussion), + Joachim Reichold (cello), Matthias Müller-Menckens (flute, piano), Hans Jaspers (viola)
LEGEND (8-9/71) LP Teldec SLE 14635-P (1971)
One Day / Souls Married To The Wind 7" Teldec ? (1972)
BA-ROCK (8/72) LP Teldec SLE 14685-P (1973)
Passport
Passport was actually the name of a Klaus Doldinger group album, issued in 1971, that proved so popular that in reality Passport became the name of the band and Doldinger the album title! Klaus had tried numerous different types of music before this, but his most successful in progressive realms was Motherhood. Actually Motherhood had a good name, as they gave birth to two bands: Hallelujah (Forsey and Vincent) and Passport (the rest of the band, with Amon Düül II cohorts Kübler and Jackson).
MPS Records Joachim Ernst Berendt was fascinated at how Passport "combined the best rock talents on the German scene" as a jazz fusion band. It's easy to see why it proved so popular at the time, as the Munich music scene was booming with weird musics, and the Passport approach with its strong melodic context and powerful arrangements, added up to a more widely accessible music. Extremely early for featuring synthesizer, with Jimmy Jackson's haunting keyboards, and excellent use of winds, it's one heck of a powerful fusion. Klaus had come up with, a winning combination, yet by the time of SECOND Klaus' accomplices were a different band, notably so English musicians John Mealing and Bryan Spring who never stayed around long. Then, on HAND MADE came Frank Roberts before joining Isotope. This era saw a move to music reminiscent of Soft Machine and Nucleus, with a new Passport style growing out of it gradually, as a stable quartet of all-German musicians was established on LOOKING THRU. Defined by powerful rhythmic structures, Doldinger's unique sax style, a wealth of keyboards and synthesizers, and Curt Cress' superb drumming, Passport continued to progress and develop for the next three years, with two more excellent studio albums, and also two very varied concert documents with Passport augmented by famous jazz friends. IGUACU, recorded in Brazil, was the last album by this incarnation, but didn't really work as a Passport album being diluted by too many Latino and ethnic touches. Obviously the band thought so too, and all left to work on other projects. Again, a new Passport was born, starting with the highly synthesized ATARAXIA, but thereafter something went radically wrong, the rot set in, as soul and pop songs ate into the music. In all fairness, Klaus should have called it a day with IGUACU, and established a band under a different name. But, like most bands, a marketable name meant a string of mediocre albums throughout the 80's. A shame when one considers how creative the era of 1971 to 1976 was.
Klaus Doldinger (tenor/alto saxes, Moog, electric piano), Olaf Kübler (tenor sax, flute), Jimmy Jackson (organ), Udo Lindenberg (drums), Lothar Meid (bass)
Amongst the most legendary of Austrian underground bands, but with a virtually undocumented history, Paternoster originated from Vienna, and existed for only two years in the early-70's, disbanding after the release of just one album. Paternoster were heavy, but their complex progressive blend was patently of the Krautrock ilk. Fronted by a most unusual vocalist, with an equally bizarre use of song, their music drew on that trippy Pink Floyd style. Akin to Gila, Virus, and Jane on occasions, the Paternoster style blended heavy classical motifs, psychedelic flights into the cosmos, and much more. The result is, that every track amounts to a lively potpourri of surprises.
Gerhart Walenta (drums), Gerhard Walter (guitar, vocals), Franz Wippel (organ, vocals), Heimo Wisser (bass)
PATERNOSTER (9-10/3/72) LP CBS 64958 (Austria, 1972)
Pell Mell
Originating as a group of friends at Marburg University in 1971, they were originally known as Juma, whilst playing a five month residency at a club in Wiesbaden. Changing concept, with radical ideas for a music that combined all sorts of conflicting elements they later decided on the name Pell Mell when signing to Bacillus. Consistent from their inception, Pell Mell lacked one essential thing: a guitarist. So they asked Andy Kirnberger (of the local band Frame) to work with them on a part-time basis. Thomas Schmitt is quoted as saying, that what they wanted to play was "a synthesis of pop music, jazz and the works of the old masters" yet what they came up with was more than that.
MARBURG saw a unique combination of psychedelic and progressive sounds, complex and lyrical, with subtle classical touches handled in a manner rivalling the best Italians of the era. A unique touch was the two lead vocalists, each with a distinctly different style, drawing comparisons with Gentle Giant. And, the music was really quite avant-garde for classical-rock, not least so the closing opus "Alone" which moves on to the realms of PHALLUS DEI era Amon Düül II. Expanding the line-up, with an extra keyboard player, gave Thomas Schmidt more room with his violin, and FROM THE NEW WORLD saw them move to directly adapting classical works, not least a lengthy and radical rock rewrite of the "New World Symphony", hinting at instrumental Curved Air. After two albums on two different labels, Pell Mell were left in the cold for some time. By the time of RHAPSODY, some serious changes had happened, they'd become a virtual orchestra, now with three vocalists! It's classical rock as high art, no doubt. Yet, it's strange that virtually the same band went on to make the vastly inferior ONLY A STAR. Though, all good things have to come to an end. In the late-70's a few musicians from Pell Mell established their own record label PM Records, to release music by local Marburg talent. Pell Mell changed concept and became Skyrider. Later, Thomas Schmidt tried to resurrect the Pell Mell concept solo, by re-working their earlier "Moldau Suite" opus.